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Dental Clinics franchise account for almost half of patients’ claims

Even though they represent only 4% of dental clinics in our country, they make up 48.6% of the total number of complains registered in the Official Dentists' Colleges

In proportion to the number of facilities, for each complaint received by a private dental clinic, there were received 25 by a dental clinic franchise. This represents an increase of 48.6% in recent years.

In absolute values, from 2013 to 2015, complaints received have increased from 1,449 to 1,659 (which represents an increase of 14.5%)

Madrid, February 16, 2017.- The Spanish Dental Association publishes for the first time the Report of Complaints and Claims from all Official Associations of Dentists of Spain in the period between the years 2013 and 2015. This document gathers all complaints made by patients and received by the Official Colleges and provides revealing figures on the current situation of Dentistry in Spain.

In this analysis, all complaints have been catalogued according to three types of dental facilities:

Dental Clinics franchise (Vitaldent, Dentix, Unidental, Caredent and iDental), which together make up 852 facilities and represent 3.9% of the total.

Insurance Dental Clinics (Adeslas, Asisa and Sanitas –Milenium–), which together make up 365 facilities and represent 1.7% of the total.

Private Dental Clinics (those that do not belong to the two previous groups), which together make up 20, 411 facilities and represent 94.4% of the total.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF DENTAL CLINICS amounts to 21,648.

Based on this classification, a total of 4,648 complaints were received from 2013 to 2015:

2,213 were received in private dental clinics, 2,258 in dental clinics franchise and 177 in insurance dental clinics, increasing the percentage of complains received by 14.5% from 2013 to 2015. Therefore, according to this study, it was concluded that dental clinics franchise, which represent only 3.9% of centres, account for 48.6% of the claims.

In addition, dental clinics franchise have registered an important upward trend in complaints, since percentage had risen by 48.6% in the last two years, from 601 claims in 2013 to 893 in 2015.

Conversely, private dental clinics have registered a downward trend in complaints, decreasing by 11.3% in the last two years, from 789 claims in 2013 to 700 in 2015.

Therefore, it emerges from this study that, in proportion to the number of centres, each dental clinic franchise receives 25 times more complaints than a private dental clinic.

• Causes for complaints and claims

The vast majority of patients present claims for clinical reasons (70%), 10% of them do it for economic reasons and an 8% for administrative purposes.

In terms of clinical treatments, implants represent 30% of these claims, followed by treatments with prostheses, orthodontics, endodontics, conservative dentistry and surgery. The number of complains for implants treatment has increased by 15%, from 295 in 2013 to 339 in 2015. In this sense, for every claim of implant treatment received in a private dental clinic, a dental clinic franchise receives 21.

Regarding complaints received for economic reasons, those show a significant increase that reaches 42% from 2013 to 2015, and in view of the number of private dental clinics vs. dental clinics franchise, weighted data conclude that for each claim received for economic reasons in a private dental clinic, a dental clinic franchise received 24.

Finally, regarding those complaints filed for administrative purposes, almost half of them – about 48.5%– come after the closure of clinics, all of them dental clinics franchise. In fact, the reasons for complaints about clinic closures have increased by 139% in the period analysed, going from 31 cases in 2013 to 74 cases in 2015.

• Conclusions of the study

- In the analysed period, a total of 4648 complaints/claims were registered, with an increase of 14% between 2013 and 2015.

- Claims at dental clinics franchise have increased by 49%, while they have decreased by 11% in private dental clinics.

- In proportion to the number of centres, for each claim received in a private dental clinic, there were received 25 at a dental clinic franchise.

- Dental clinics franchise represent 4% of all dental facilities. However, they account for 49% of claims.

- 7 out of 10 of these claims are for clinical purposes. 30% of these clinical causes are due to implant treatments. For each claim received for implant treatment in a private dental clinic, a dental clinic franchise receives 21.

- Complaints received for economic reasons have increased by 42% in the period analysed. In addition, in proportion to the number of centres, dental clinics franchise receives 24 times more claims for this reason.

- In the case of the administrative complaints, half of them are registered after the closure of clinics. All of them have been registered in dental clinics franchise and have increased by 139% from 2013 to 2015.

Note: please see attached an information dossier where all these data, study methodology, sample and main conclusions of the analysis are specified.